Breed 77 @ the O2 Academy

Reviewed by Chris Render

I arrived at the O2 Academy a little late for this gig, and so much to my regret, I missed the first support, so you’ll have to make your own judgements on Symphony Cult. The second support, however, a band called Our Malevolent Tyranny, were more than sufficient, the perfect opener for Breed 77.

Now this wasn’t the first time I’d seen the Gibraltarian metal group in action, so I had some idea of what I was in for, but that did nothing to detract from the performance. Experienced and accomplished musicians all, Breed 77’s unique blend of flamenco and heavy metal must be heard to be believed. And it is definitely worth hearing.

And seeing, for that matter. Paul Isola is a fantastic performer and a talented musician, charismatic and dynamic. Of course, the same can be said for the rest of the band, evidenced by a memorable drum solo by the band’s newest member, Mexican Oscar Preciado Zamora.

Throughout an expansive set covering older material and plenty of tracks from the new album Insects, Breed 77 provided an extremely entertaining night, and I eagerly await their return to the city.